Shigure Sohma
Shigure Sohma (草摩 紫呉 Sōma Shigure) is the Dog of the Zodiac. He transforms into the Dog of the Chinese Zodiac whenever he is hugged by the opposite gender or his body comes under a great deal of stress. Shigure is the oldest member of the Zodiac. He is the first Sohma to appear in the anime/manga. Shigure's name is derived from the tenth month of the Japanese lunar calendar, 'Shigure'zuki, or "Autumn showers month". Character Design Personality At his initial time of appearance, Shigure seems like a pervert, yet a laid-back character. However, as the story goes on, he begins to seem more sinister. Role in the story Shigure is laid-back and anything but solemn. He is a flirt, a tease, and often acts like a pervert. As a writer of both romance novels and academic books, Shigure loves to drive his editor, Mitchan, insane. His most famous and well-celebrated pen name is Kiritani Noa (western order, Noa Kiritani), which he usually uses for his romance novels, such as 'Summer-Colored Sigh,' which he showed to Saki Hanajima, Arisa Uotani and Kyo Sohma. They give very different reactions, Hanajima asks if a sequel will be coming out, while Uotani says it is unacceptable to write that 'smut' and Kyo comments that it's sick. Tohru thinks it's amazing that she knows an author. Shigure's best friends are Hatori Sohma and Ayame Sohma. This trio has been friends since their childhood. Together their nickname is the Mabudachi Trio. (The Three Muskateers in the English dubbed anime). While Ayame and Shigure get along very well, it's less certain how Hatori, who is always exasperated with them, became their friend. Occasionally, Shigure shows that he has another side to himself. He can be surprisingly mature, thoughtful, and gives rather sage and insightful advice to Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, and other characters, acting like an actual "adult". Only in the manga is it revealed that he is also quite cunning and somewhat dark-humored. It could be said that in some ways Shigure is the one who is most affected by the curse, being in love with Akito and at the same time considered beneath her. (which is not true in the anime because Akito is a male) It is also speculated and revealed in the manga that, although he does feel brotherly affection for her, Shigure is actually using Tohru Honda to break the Sohma curse. This is not true in the anime Relationships Mayuko Shiraki Shigure has previously dated Mayuko Shiraki, though nothing came of it and the relationship began probably because he pitied Mayuko's loneliness. He continues to antagonize her by appearing and interfering with her life, even though his machinations have brought her closer to Hatori Sohma, for whom she has strong feelings. Akito Sohma Shigure has an affair with Akito Sohma in the Manga, but in the Anime, this is never shown because of the cancellation. However, it is important to note that because Akito is actually female, as is revealed in the later books in the series, it is possible for Shigure to have an intimate relationship with her. When Akito sleeps with Kureno, Shigure bites back by sleeping with Ren. A conflict between the two on this matter is shown in the manga chapters in later volumes after Akito is revealed to be female. Ren Sohma He is also noted for having an affair with Ren Sohma, Akito Sohma's mother, on the basis that Akito had chosen Kureno Sohma over Shigure. Because of that incident, Shigure stated that he hated Kureno for having an affair with Akito. Akito, angry that he would have an affair with the person she hated most (her mother), kicked him out of the main house. In truth, it appears that Shigure actually loves Akito and has since they were both very young. His manipulations not only appear to be for the purpose of breaking the Jyūnishi curse, but also to get closer to Akito; believing that the end of the curse will cause Akito to let go of the person her father wanted her to be and become her true self (just 'Akito', rather than 'God'). Shigure also states that he slept with Akito's mother, Ren, because she looked like what Akito could have been, if she had she been raised as a woman. In chapter 132, he confessed his feelings to Akito and kissed her. In the anime, however, Shigure has no love relationship with Akito because Akito is biogically male in the anime.